AFP reports about 500 protesters blocked a coal train line in Mozambique in a dispute with Vale over housing.

South Africa’s black-controlled diversified mining company Exxaro Resources is putting the Republic of Congo (RoC) on the map as a new African iron-ore development frontier with its R3-billion (A$338-million) cash takeover offer of African Iron.

The Washington Post reports in a move reminiscent of the crackdown on lead in toys, more than a dozen major retailers including Target, Saks and Gap, are voluntarily halting sales of jewelry that contain more than trace levels of cadmium, a byproduct of zinc mining.

Mining graduates have to be prepared for a drastic change in lifestyle when they enter the mining industry, and one TAFE mining course in South Australia is preparing them for it, reports ABC.

Education manager for mining in SA Lyndon Giles says this [training] includes shift work and moving away from home. "It's not all beer and skittles when they talk about $100,000 a year, there's a lot of challenges, particularly working in isolated areas, a long way away from family, all them come into play when you look at a career change so we try and get these people accustomed to what they are going to expect."

The BDG (German Professional Association of Geoscientists) Academy in Germany and the ICOG School of Professional Geology in Spain have announced their trianing programmes for 2012. For more information, see the BDG site (in German), and the ICOG calendar (in Spanish).

Reuters reports the London Metal Exchange has been approached by several   potential bidders and will consider takeover proposals in late February according to its CEO. The LME handles some 80% of global trade in metals futures and a takeover will help the the 134-year old trading floor to compete against rapidly-expanding Asian metal trading hubs.

Oilsands Quest Inc. (NYSE Amex: BQI) ("Oilsands Quest," "OQI" or "the Company") has requested and obtained approval from the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench (the "Court") to conduct a process to solicit offers to acquire, restructure or recapitalize the Company (the "Solicitation Process"). The Company is also pursuing Debtor-in-Possession financing to provide liquidity as it conducts the Solicitation Process.

German mining and commodity group Deutsche Rohstoff AG said on Wednesday it will develop mining operations in east Germany to exploit estimated deposits of 38,000 tonnes of rare earths.

Robert Friedland, Chairman, and Peter Reeve, Chief Executive Officer of Ivanhoe Australia Limited (TSX:IVA)(ASX:IVA), are pleased to announce the receipt of the $30.1 million distribution from Exco Resources Limited.